


The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than the Water of the Womb

by kibblesnbits



Category: Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother-Sister Relationships, Im tired, Original Character being a sister to canon character, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Slow Redemption, Varian (Disney) Has Issues, Varian (Disney) Redemption, im terrible at updating im so sorry, im trying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 12:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16995084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kibblesnbits/pseuds/kibblesnbits
Summary: Varian of Old Corona was wanted for many things and didn't plan on regretting those crimes. That is, until someone shows him what it's like to care.





	The Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than the Water of the Womb

 

Rapunzel awoke to the sound of shouting and clanking metal armor from the guards below her bedroom. It was frantic and scared, and even the captain was worried. She rushed to her window, peering down at the courtyard that was barely lit with the early-morning moonlight.

    “What’s happening?” she called, tipping her head over her balcony at the guard that seemed to be the calmer.

    “The dungeons,” he shouted back, “there’s been an escape!”

    Rapunzel didn’t need any more information to have her conclusion. The only people in the dungeon were a few thieves and _Varian,_ and he was the only one who had the smarts to get out. This was bad, because not only had Varian escaped, but he had a personal vendetta against her family.

    She threw on a jacket and swung over the balcony, joining the panicked guards, and following some of them into the dungeon. If she was going to figure out how Varian got out, she would have to see it for herself.  

    The walk to the dungeon took longer than expected, her feet making soft pats on the stone floor below her. The torches in the dungeon were all out, and the guard in charge of watching Varian himself had been knocked out cold, but he was at the front of the hallway. Varian was at the back. Said hallway was filled with broken metal and snapped wooden planks, their edges glaring at her in the shadows as she made her way to Varian’s cell.

    His cell was a sight to behold. The bars to his window had been completely sawed off, and the cell door was wide open, revealing the contents on the floor. There was a bone saw, a ring of keys, a crossbow, and a letter. Opening the aforementioned letter, Rapunzel grimaced.

_Dear Princess,_

_This took me longer than I hoped. Your guards got good after the… incident I caused. I’ll have you know that I am headed somewhere you shall never find- well, that’s not true. I don’t even know where I’m going, BUT I know it’s gonna be far away from you! Anyways, that’s it really. If you get my dad out, tell him I said sorry._

_Still Vengeful,_

_Varian_  

    She sighed. This was going to take a while. 

...

    Cassandra was not okay. Her biggest prisoner, a 15-year-old (his birthday passed while he was in the prison) who nearly destroyed the whole _kingdom_ for Sun’s sake, escaped, and even worse? He still seemed to hate them for no good reason! You’d think someone as dorky and as young as him would try and see the other side, but noooooo, he had to go and escape from prison, putting them all in a state of panic! Her father didn’t even know what to do, so here she was, sitting in the throne room making the choice because her father said she was ready! She’s not really complaining, but now? Really? 

    “What should we do?” Queen Arianna asked Cassandra for the 3rd time, “I’m sorry for making you make this decision, but you know the boy almost as much as Rapunzel does..”

    Cassandra’s permanent scowl wavered. The queen wanted her to pick because- because she’d actually talked to Varian? That made more sense than she thought originally…

     “Well,” she began, “I think we should search Old Corona and the surrounding forests first. He most likely would have tried to make his way home, but in his state-” she took a sharp breath. Varian wasn’t treated… kindly in the dungeons, courtesy of some guards with their own issues against him. Cassandra didn’t blame them, but one of them had threatened to hang Varian for a simple snarky response.

    The king nodded, his soft side for children overtaking his features as he hummed in agreement, “then it is settled. Cassandra, take the Captain and a group of the best search animals we have.”

    Rapunzel stood up then, Pascal barely holding onto her shoulder, “I want to go.”

    “No,” King Fredric immediately frowned, more so than normal, “I cannot allow you to-" 

    “It’s the least I can do!” she cut him off, “after I completely forgot about him after the crisis!”

    The room was silent after that, but one thing was clear. They could have avoided this, could’ve avoided the queen getting kidnapped and nearly getting killed if they had just checked on the boy.

    Silently, the king nodded, and the search party was assembled.

...

    Eugene was conflicted. After staying quiet for the duration of the emergency meeting-whatever, he had something on his mind: Varian. Eugene- he was the kid’s idol. He should’ve helped him, he should’ve done something _._ Now, all he could do was follow Rapunzel, Cassandra, and the Captain into Old Corona to find the wayward teen.

...

    Varian made a few mistakes. One, trapping his father in that amber. Two, attacking the kingdom (though, he wasn’t too sure that was a mistake). Three, jumping out of the dungeon window and into a freezing cold creek. Plus, the universe seemed to hate him, because he could tell his right leg and left arm was broken, and he was still awake.

    Rudiger, the poor thing, clung to Varian for dear life as the both down the creek to Moon knows where. He had eventually fallen asleep, and so had Varian. The creek wasn’t too deep, but it was strong enough (and he was light enough) that it kept sweeping his body further down the stream steadily. Soon enough, he stopped moving and woke up shivering. Despite his injuries, he took to making a small raft, and he was quickly back on the water, it became deeper as he made his way North? South? He didn’t truly know.

    Sighing, he laid his head onto the surface of his raft, accompanied by Rudiger, and fell asleep to the soft lullaby of the stream and the woods around it. 

    Seconds bled into minutes, and minutes into hours, and eventually, the sun was rising. He could feel the warm rays of the star and felt content. That contentedness, however, ended when he roughly hit a large stone in the stream. Varian, taking his as a sign to get out of the water, stood upon an unsteady leg, and Rudiger climbed onto his back. He only made it a few steps before his unbroken leg gave out, and with a startled yelp, he crashed to the ground.  

    His vision became cloudy and a loud ringing filled his ears, but he could make out a soft voice singing a fast song before a gasp rang out. The last things he saw and felt before he passed out were two wide eyes, and two arms picking him up off of the ground.

...

     Varian awoke in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar bed, with bandages wrapped around his arm and leg. Looking around, he took in the sight of an adobe house- one common in the lands North of Corona. The windows had vines strung between them, and there were many instruments lining the walls and floors of the room. There were hanging plants with what seemed like herbs, and Varian could make out a telescope set by one of the windows.

    Standing up out of the bed, he took notice of the cane that was neatly set aside, presumably for him, so he grabbed the cane and hobbled out of the door, following an aroma of cinnamon.

    Just as he made it down the staircase, a figure jumped out of the doorway at the end. It was a girl, with long brown hair and tan skin. Her wide brown eyes stared at him and he could see a curious spark in them. Slowly, as if she were approaching a wild animal, she held out her hand in a greeting.

    “Heya!” she chirped, “I’m Aleida! It’s nice to meetcha, Varian!”

    He froze. How had she known his name-

    “I saw the wanted posters,” she explained, noticing his blatantly obvious panic, “found ya’ in a stream a few hours south. Scorpia an’ I were headin’ down to Corona to meet up with a buyer and we needed water, and imagine my surprise when I find a 14-year-old Coronian prisoner in the stream.”

    Varian found his voice, and he threw his hands into the air, leaning against his unbroken leg, “well, you got me! Turn me in! How much are they offering now? I’m sure it’s less than last time because they’re so sure I won’t do it again-” 

    Aleida had clamped a hand over his mouth, and she scowled at him. 

    “Titus is a town of reformed thieves, pipsqueak,” she ground out, “we’re the last people who would sell you out. Now, if you’re not gonna scream and yip-yap, I suggest you follow me. Breakfast and all that.”

    She removed her hand, and when Varian opened his mouth to speak again, she gave a sharp glare and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him into what he assumed was the kitchen. 

    Aleida had made a simple breakfast and a cinnamon-y beverage, one that he was very skeptical. Poking at his food, he felt himself think of the worst. What if Aleida poisoned him? What if she stabbed him? What if-

    “I don’t bite,” she laughed from the other end of the table, “and I don’t have access to anything poisonous if that’s what you’re wonderin’. It’s not gonna kill ya, I promise.”

    “Don’t,” Varian warned. He had had enough experience with broken promises that he knew not to trust them. 

    “Don’t what?” she giggled, “fine, I guarantee that I’m not tryna kill you.”

    Varian nodded in satisfaction and took a cautionary sip of the drink in front of him and  _ Oh my Moon it was good.  _ He quickly drank the entire thing, then ate the breakfast, only then realizing how hungry he truly was. 

    Aleida snorted, “You’re eating just like the Vargas kids next door.”

    He pretended not to hear her, finishing his meal with a content sigh. He should’ve saved some for Rudiger now that he,  _ Rudiger.  _

    “Aleida,” he blurted, “was there, perhaps, a raccoon when I- you found me?”

    She nodded, “I put ‘im in the stables. You can see him later, right now, I need to talk to you like, personally and all that jazz.”

    Varian nodded slowly, rubbing his bandages subconsciously.

    “You seem like you wanna stay outta the dungerenos for as long as possible, and I get that,” she nodded, “so I’m offerin’ you a deal. You stay here, work in my shop, live in this village, and we don’t rat ya’ out to the nobles.”

    “One condition,” he wanted something in return. Sure, Aleida had saved his life (he didn’t want to really accept that fact just yet), but he didn’t want to  _ just  _ live here. “I want a lab. One where I can do my alchemy in peace.”

    Aleida stuck out her hand, just as she’d done when he met her at the staircase, “it’s a deal.”

    Varian smiled, taking her hand in his, “yep.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know Eugene's part is weird and short but!!! I couldn't think of anything else to write! I'm that slow uiasheiruh,,,, anyways, uhh, follow me on Tumblr? Ik im not that active but??? its @krxs.png!! I haven't figured out how to link things yet uyghuyguvhgyuv anyways ily guys and thanks for reading!
> 
> Send me concrit!!!! i crave that stchuff!!!!
> 
> I also apologize immensely for any OOCness. I've never written with Varian, and I'm always terrible with pacing (especially with something I'm really excited about) so if I'm really bad about that stuff, don't hesitate to tell me!


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